Toroidal coil winding apparatus



Jan. 19, 1960 A. AvENlV 2,921,751

'roRoIDAL COIL WINDING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 19, 1955 United States P-lffir1f;CHC@

TOROIDAL COIL WINDING APPARATUS n Anthony Aveni, Los Angeles, Calif., assgnor to Hughes l Aircraft Company, Culver City, Calif., a `corporation of Delaware Y Application December 19, 1955, Serial No. 553,879

` 2 Claims. (Cl. 242-4) The device of this invention finds general utility in the lield of coil winding and particularly inthe winding of relatively small toroidal coils.

Heretofore, numerous problems have existed relative to the winding applicationof wire about a toroidal core,

' inasmuch as manual winding is very time consuming and toroidal core due to many factors such as, for example,

the necessity for supportingand moving a bobbinor Yshuttle arrangement while still permitting passage thereof through the central core opening. Prior mechanisms have been either too large, too heavy or Vpropelled in such a manner as to prohibit their use in mechanical Winding of these small toroidal cores.

It is, accordingly, one important object of the present invention tn provide a novel toroidal coil windingapparatus. Y A

It is another important object of this invention to provide a toroidal coil winding apparatus that may be employed in connection With toroidal cores ofV small dimensions.

. It is still another object of this invention to provide a novel toroidal coil winding apparatus wherein means are provided for supporting a bobbin for movement through a central opening in a toroidal core, and pneumatic means are employed to effect such movement.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a toroidal coil winding apparatus having means for simultaneously rotating a toroidal core about its axis, and

pneumatically winding suitable wire upon this core, thus to produce relatively small toroidal coils that are accurate and reliable, such apparatus being adaptable for mass production techniques and utilizing a minimum amount of time.

Other and further important objects of this invention will become apparent from the disclosures in the following detail specification, appended claims and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partially diagrammatic and partially in section, showing the toroidal coil winding apparatus of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view and a portion of the apparatus and support means for a toroidal core, as taken substantially as indicated by line 2-2, Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational View of the spherical bobbin employed -with the present apparatus; and

Fig; 4 is a perspective view showing the bobbin, together with a means for preventing inadvertent unwinding of wire carried thereby.

Aconduit 32, having an entrance conduit 33.

2,921,751 ,li'raterxted Jan. 19,

With reference to the drawing, the toroidalr coil winding apparatus of this invention is adapted for use in the establishment of wire `about a suitable toroidal cone, indicated generally at 10. The core 10 is generally made from any suitable dielectric or permeable material and may be supported by any of a variety of means such as, for example, by means of a plurality of hour glass shaped rollers 1,1. The rollers 11 arerotatably mounted `on a fixed plate 12 by means of shafts 13, the plate 12 being supported on any suitable support structure v14 having a central opening 15 therein. In orderthat the core 10 may be positioned within the conlines of the rollers 11, the plate 12 may be split as at 16 and hingedby means of a suitable hinge 17, there being a tension spring 18 connected across the split 16, normally to retain and bias the rollers 111 into positions against the outer surface of the core 10. Additionally, the rollers 11 may be covered, on the exterior surface thereof, with a frictional material such as rubber or the like in order to provide a slip free support for the core. The particular Vdesign of the rollers 11 also enables use thereof with various sizes of toroidal cores. -As shown'priman'ly in Fig. 2, one of the rollers 1-1 maybe driven as by a friction wheel 20, mounted on a shaft 21 that is in turn driven by means of a motor 22, for example.

With reference again to Fig. 1, a toroidal passage structure, indicated generally at 23, is supported in connection with a iix'edsupport structure 24. An axis of the passage structure 23 is spaced from and positioned substantially normal to an axis of the core 10. The passage structure 23 includes a tubular member 25 having end portions 26 and 27that are ilared, positioned adjacent lateral sides of the core 10, and in substantial lateral coextensive alignment with auv opening 28V in the core '10. The tubular member 25 is further provided `with an annular slot 30 in a radially inwardly directed wall thereof. i

In order that air under pressure may be delivered uniformly to. the interior 'of the tubular member 2,5, a .plurality of -nozzles 31 extend through a radially outer wall offthe tubular member 25 from a common air supply The nozzles 31 are positioned tangentially with respect to the tubular memberV 25, in order that ow of compressed air will be in the direction of the arrows 34 and specifically in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1.

A bobbin, indicated generally at 35, is positioned for movement within the contines of the tubular member 25.

The bobbin 35 includes a spherical body member 36 hav- I ing an annular groove 37 thereabout. A quantity of wire 38 is Wound in the groove 37 and extends therefrom. The body 36 is further provided with a pair of recesses 40 on each side thereof and substantially on the axis of the annular groove 37.

As shownY primarily in Fig. 4, means are provided to prevent inadvertent unwinding of the wire 38 from the body 36. This means includes a clip member 41 of spring material having a semicircular band 42, ends thereof being turned back as at 43 and spaced from each other in order to provide an opening through which the wire 38 'may -be dispensed. The 4band 42 has arms 44 extending from side areas thereof and providing a means for securing the clip 41 to the body 36, this means including pivot pins 45 that are positioned in the recesses 40 in the body 36. The particular arrangement of the clip 41 also enables :rotation of the clip about the body 36, the tension of the band 42 on the body 36 being sucient as to prevent unwarranted unwinding of the wire from the bobbin.

In operation of the present apparatus, one end of the wire 38, being dispensed from the bobbin 35, is connected as by any suitable means such as, for example,

. tapingto the core 10, and'ther'bobbinjSS is positioned in IarmemberZSand the openinglinthe core 10,. It'is t0 ,be uotedthat the bobbin 35 is in free motonin ,travel thereof lbetween the ends,26 Vand `2,7- -of the tubular member 25, and through the opening 28 ofthe core 10.V As 'the'. Ybobbin y'makes each successive circular l passage throughthe l tubular member 25, the wire 38' .will be looped in substantially themanner shown by Athe dotted lines in Fig. land will ,bedrawn from theV quantity r' providedon Ythe' body36 of the bobbin 35 4as required 'for winding `about-thejcore 10. Additionally, as described hereinbefore, thecore 10 will be rotated Yon its own axis wherebyproperly ton space the various `windings of the wire 38about`the core. ,10, iscompletei theair,Y entering asat 33 may be discon- Y tinued, thus to stop'travelof the bobbin 35 and permit the'wire 3,810 be trimmed to length. w

S VinasmuchY as the bobbin 35 utilized herein is spherical andrelatively simple, it is` possible vto utilize this structure with relatively Vsmall toroidal cores and the winding thereof. Additionally, inasmuch as no mechanical connection is provided between the bobbin motive means and When the winding of the core .y

thebobbn, little or no, diiculty is experienced Vin the passage'of the bobbin through the opening28 in the core 10.Y y l Having thus described the invention and thepresent y embodiment thereof, it is desired to emphasize the 'fact that many modifications may be resorted to ina manner limited only by a just :interpretation of the following claims. Y

What is claimed is: j

v1.' A,wind.ing apparatus for toroidal coils disposed about a toroidalcore'comprising, in combination: a Vsup- Vport for said toroidal core, said supportV including aY plurality of rollersengageable Withanpouter surface of said core; means Ito drive at least one of said rollers; a toro'idal Aadapted for movable disposition in said tubular member; a quantity of `wire wound about Ysaid bobbin, said wire being adapted for disposition from said bobbin, through said annular slot and about said core; clip means carried by said Vbobbin and overlying said quantity of wire for restricting unwinding of said wire from said bobbin;'and air jet means for tangentially `delivering air under pressure to said tubular member, wherebyv to propel said bobbin along acircular path through said'tubular member and a central opening in said core Vto wind said wire onto said core, said rotation of said core serving -tofspace winding about said core.y 'Y Y 2. AY .winding apparatus for toroivdra/l coils disposed about a toroidal core comprising, in combination: a support for said toroidall c0re,.said support including a plurality of rollers engageable with an outer surface of said `core and rotatably mounted on said support; means to drive `at least one Aof :said rollers;,means to-.displaceat least one kof said rollers'y to permit initial ,positioning of said core; a toroidal tubular member defining a pneumatic passageway, Vsaid `tubular member Vhaving an axis positioned substantially normal to Van axis of ,said .core and spaced therefrom; ared end portions onsaid tubular member, said end Yportions being positioned on lateral sides of said core, closely adjacent thereto. and substantially'on said axis thereof; anV annular slot in a radially inwardly directed wallV of said, tubular member; a spherical bobbin adaptedfor movable disposition Ain said tubular member; a quantity of wire wound about-'said bobbin, saidwire being adapted for disposition from said bobbingrthrough said annular slot and about said core; clipme'ans'carried by said bobbin and overlying said quantity lof wire'ior restricting unwinding ofi-said wire 7 of :said core serving to space winding about said core.

References Cited-in the file of this patent Y UNTTED STATES PATENTS Conklin ism/4,1947 McCarthy ,Mar. 4, 1952 VFOREIGN PATE 'rs 264,677 Germany ...'...L Sept. 26, 1913 

